Electric fan



A. c. GILBERT 1,938,380

ELECTRIC FAN Filed Jan. 20, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 7 4 Qwventoa 68 67say; {M 9% Meow: S

Dec. 5, 1933. A. c, GILBERT 1,938,380

' ELECTRIC FAN Filed Jan. 20. 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 67 68 72 30 I5 30'29 23 T q 23 27 W 2 s 71 Patented Dec. 5, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE ELECTRIC FAN Application January 20, 1931. Serial No. 509,984

6 Claims. (01. 230-264) This invention relates to electric fans and moreespecially to electric fans of the portable oscillating type. Fans ofthis type are generally used in homes and ofiices and it is, therefore,desirable that they be light in weight, of sturdy structure,substantially quiet in operation, economical to manufacture andefiicient in use.

One object of this invention is to provide an electric fan wherein theabove desirable features are present.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved supportingframe by which parts of the motor and other parts constituting the fanare supported and secured together to form a sturdy structure.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved form ofoscillating mechanism, which is adapted to be supported by the improvedsupporting frame.

A further object of this invention is to provide improved means forsupporting the fan upon a base member, and which cooperates with theimproved supporting frame to form a sturdy structure.

To these and other ends, the invention consists in the novel featuresand combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of an electric fan embodying thefeatures of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear view of part of the fan shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section on line 44 of Fig. 5 is an enlargedsection on line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a section on line 7-'? of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a view showing the lower part of the motor parts and a partfor connecting the same to a base, and

Fig. 9 is a detailed end view of the connecting part.

The fan illustrated in the drawings generally comprises a base 10, motor11, fan 12, fan guard 13 and an oscillating mechanism 14. Motor 11, inthis instance, is one of the type known as induction motors andcomprises a field core 15 and a 5 rotor 16 having a shaft 17. The fan 12is secured to one end of shaft'l'l, the other end 18 of which has wormteeth 19 formed thereon. The rotor 16 is rotatably mounted within anopening formed by the poles of the field core 15, shaft 17 beingjournaled in bearing bushings 20 and 21.

The bearing bushings 20 and 21 are mounted in plates 22 and 23respectively, hollow bosses 24 and 25 being formed in plates 22 and 23respectively to receive the same.

Tie rods 26, in this instance four, are disposed between the plates 22and 23 to retain them in spaced apart relation. Each tie rod 26 passesthrough an opening provided in the field core 15 to receive the same,and has threaded extensions 27 and 28 formed thereon, one on either end5 thereof. The extensions 27 and 28 are smaller in diameter than therods 26 and pass through openings provided therefor in plates 22 and 23respectively. Nuts 29 threadingly associated with the end extensions 27and 28 clampingly secure the plates 22 and 23 to the ends of the tierods. Sleeves 30 are mounted upon the tie rods 26 between the ends offield core 15 and the adjacent plate 22 or 23, to retain the core 15 intransverse alignment with the rotor 16, which in turn is retained inoperative position by sleeves 31 disposed one on either side of saidrotor upon shaft 17, between the ends of the rotor and bearing bushings20 and 21. Washers 32 may also be mounted upon shaft 17 to fill up anyremaining space between bushings 20 and 21 to limit end play of therotor 16 during operation. Variation in the length of sleeves 30 permitsaccurate positioning of field core 15 with respect to rotor 16 forefiicient motor operation.

When the above parts are assembled as described, a complete and operablemotor unit is formed which can be operated for testing or like purposes.This motor unit is provided with base connecting means comprising a part33 that extends from plate 22 to plate 23. Part 33 is provided with endmembers 34 and 35 that are bent upwardly substantially at right anglesto part 33 and are provided with openings adapted to receive endextensions 27' and 28 respectively and be secured thereto by nuts 29.Substantially midway between the end members 34 and 35 downwardlyextending ears 36 and 3'7 are provided on part 33 which straddle a basepart 38. The base part 38 in this instance, is pivotally mounted uponanother base part 39 to permit lateral swinging or oscillating movementof the motor by means of a vertically disposed pin 40. The pin 40 issecured to part 38 by a bolt 41 that passes through the ears 36 and 37,part 38 and 5 pin 40.- The pin 40 is retained in part 39 by a screw 42which rides in the groove 40 of pin 46. The base part 39 is pivotallysecured in a more or less usual manner to a base part 43 to permitvertical swinging movement of the motor for adjustment purposes, in thisinstance a thumb screw being provided, which, when tightened, clamps theparts 39 and 43 together to retain the motor fan in adjusted position.

A gear housing 44 isprovided and comprises a cylindrical portion 45which is axially disposed in respect to shaft 1'7. The end 18 of shaft17 extends into an opening 46 formed in portion 45. Portion 45 andopening 46 are enlarged at the ends thereof adjacent the hollow boss 25so as to enclose the same therein, and an annular flange 47 is formed onportion 45 adjacent the enlarged end thereof. The flange 47 is securedto plate 23 by screws 48. The gear housing is thus rigidly retained inplace upon the rotor and field core supporting frame previouslydescribed. The gear housing is provided with another cylindrical portion49 which is disposed below and directed substantially at right angles toportion 45. An opening 50 is formed in portion 49, one end of which isopen and the other closed by a wall 51. The open end of opening 50 isclosed by a disk 52 which is held in place by a threaded shaft member 53that extends axially through this opening and threads into the end wall51 thereof. Rotatably mounted upon the shaft member 53 is a spiral gear54 and worm 55. Spiral gear 54 and worm 55 are integral, in thisinstance. The teeth of spiral gear 54 mesh with the worm teeth 19 formedon shaft 17 and are driven thereby.

Another cylindrical portion 56 forming part of housing 44, is disposedadjacent portion 49 and extends vertically and downwardly therefrom. Anopening 57 is provided in portion 56, in which a shaft 58 is disposedand journaled, being held in place by a collar 59 formed thereon. Anupwardly directed extension 60 is formed on shaft 58 and a spiral gear61 is rotatably mounted upon this extension with an end face thereofresting upon collar 59. The teeth of gear 61 mesh with the teeth of worm55 whereby it is driven. The upper end of extension 60 is threaded toreceive a thumb nut 62 that is operable when turned upon the extension60 to engage the gear 61 and force it against collar 59 whereby theshaft 58 will be drivingly connected thereto.

One end of a lever 63 is secured to the lower end of shaft 58 by meansof threads on the shaft end engaging within a threaded opening in lever63. The other end of lever 63 is pivotally secured to one end of a link64 by a screw 65. The

other end of link 64 is pivotally secured to base part 39 by a screw 66.Rotation of shaft 58 through the instrumentality of lever 63 and link 64will cause oscillation of motor 11 and fan 12 about their pivot formedby pin 40.

A casing composed of two cup-shaped parts 67 and 68 one of whichtelescopes within a portion of the other at the edge 69 of the open endthereof, which edge is increased in diameter for this purpose, isprovided to. enclose the motor parts. Suitable ventilating openings 70are provided in each casing part and the tie rod extensions 27 and 28protrude through openings provided in each casing part for this purpose.Nuts 71 threadingly engage the extensions 27 and 28 to retain therespective casing part thereon, the nut 71 adjacent casing part 6'7being also used to secure supporting wires 72 of the fan guard 13 to themotor supporting frame. By this arrangement, the casing parts mayreadily be removed without disturbing the operating parts of the fan topermit inspection and repair thereof when such is desired.

An electric fan of the above described construction is light in weight,sturdy, comparatively quiet in operation, and economical to manufacture.The combination of the improved frame structure with other of the partsconstituting the fan and motor that are secured together and supportedin operable positions thereby, provides an especially sturdy andefiicient structure. The improved gear housing wherein the gears andworms constituting the drive for the oscillating mechanism are readilyinserted and removed, provides a gear reduction unit that is botheconomical to manufacture and efficient in use. The use of member 33 toconnect the motor supporting frame to the base part 38 insures that themotor and fan will be firmly supported and retained upon the base parts.By slotting the openings in one of the end members 34 and 35, forinstance 35, as shown at 35 in Fig. 9, the member 33 may be adjustablysecured to the motor supporting frame to position the motor in verticalalignment with the pivot pin 40. These slots also facilitate theassembly of the member 33 on the motor since the member 33 may beslipped on to the extensions 27 and then swung to bring the end member35 between the nuts 29 and plate 23, the slots 100 35 permitting theentrance of the ends 28 therein.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention,it will be understood that it is not to be limited to the details shownbut is capable of modification and variation within the spirit of theinvention and within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In an electric fan of the type described, an electric motor shaftbearing plates at each end of said motor, connecting means for andbetween said plates, a casing part about each of said plates, and anoscillating mechanism for said fan drivingly connected to said motor, ahousing 115 for said mechanism having a part extending through an end ofone of said casing parts and being detachably secured .to one of saidplates.

2. In an oscillating fan, a base, a rotor shaft having a bladed fanthereon, a shaft bearing sup- 120 porting plate, a gear housing securedto said plate and having an axially directed opening to receive an endof said shaft, said shaft having worm teeth formed upon the end thereofwithin said housing, saidhousing having a horizontally dis- 125 posedopening therein disposed substantially at right angles to the firstopening, an integrally formed gear and worm disposed in the last namedopening, said gear and worm being insertable through an end of theopening, a cover for said 130 end of the last named opening, means toretain said cover in place and to form a shaft for said gear and worm,said gear being drivingly connected to the worm teeth on said rotorshaft, said housing having a vertically disposed opening 185 therein, ashaft in the vertically disposed opening, a gear rotatably mounted onone end of said shaft and being drivingly connected to said worm, amember on said shaft rotatable to drivingly connect said gear to saidshaft, a lever connected to the other end of said shaft, and a linkconnected to said lever and to said base.

3. In an oscillating fan, a base, a'rotor shaft having a bladed fanthereon, oscillating mechanism comprising a housing having a portionprovided with an opening to axially receive said shaft, a portiondisposed at right angles to said first portion and provided with anopening closed at one end and open at the other, a gear and a wormintegral with each other disposed in the 150 opening in said secondportion, said gear being drivingly connected to said rotor shaft, acover for the open end of the opening in said second portion, a memberto secure said cover to said portion and extending through said gear andworm to act as a shaft therefor, a third portion extending at rightangles to said second portion and provided with an opening therethroughhaving a shaft joumaled therein, each end of said shaft extendingoutwardly beyond said portion, a lever on one end of said shaft, a linkconnecting said lever and said base a gear drivingly connected to saidworm and rotatably mounted upon said shaft, a collar on said shaft uponwhich said gear may ride, and means rotatable on the other end of saidshaft and operable to clamp said gear against said collar to drivinglyconnect the same to said shaft.

4. In an electric fan of the type described, a base, an electric motorhaving a casing, a field core and an armature, said armature beingmounted upon a shaft, said shaft extending axially outward from bothends of said armature, a bladed fan secured to one end of said shaft,the other end of said shaft having worm gear teeth formed thereon, anoscillating mechanism for said electric fan, and common supporting meansfor the aforesaid parts. comprising a pair of end plates within thecasing and disposed one adjacent each end of said armature, a bearing ineach plate for said shaft, rods extending between said plates andsupporting said field core, a housing about said oscillating mechanismand into which the worm gear toothed end of said shaft extends, saidhousing having a part extending into the casing and removably secured toone of said plates, a member extending between said plates and securedto each, said member being pivotally mounted upon said base, saidoscillating mechanism being operatively connected to said armature shaftand said base to oscillate said parts relatively to said base.

5. In an electric fan, a base, an electric motor, said motor includingin its structure a casing, a field core, a rotor having a shaft, spacedapart plates within the casing in which said shaft is journaled, and acasing about the aforesaid motor parts, a fan on said shaft, a guardabout said fan, oscillating mechanism for said fan, said mechanismhaving a part extending within the casing and removably secured to oneof said plates and supported thereby, common means to connect andsupport said field core, said plates, said casing and said fan guardtogether and in operative position in respect to each other, and meansto pivotally connect said common means to said base.

6. In an oscillating fan, a base, a rotor shaft having a bladed fanthereon, oscillating mechanism comprising a housing having a portionprovided with an opening to axially receive said rotor shaft, a portiondisposed at right angles to said first portion and provided with anopening closed at one end and open at the other, a gear and a wormintegral with each other disposed in the opening in said second portionand insertable through an end thereof, said gear being drivinglyconnected to said rotor shaft, a cover for said end of the opening insaid second portion, a member to secure said cover to said portion andextending through said integral gear and worm to act as a shafttherefor, a third portion having a vertically disposed shaft therein, alever on the lower end of said shaft, and a link connecting said leverwith said base, and means to drivingly connect said shaft to said lastmentioned worm.

ALFRED C. GILBERT.

